The Sun Devils not only boast an impressive transfer class currently ranked No. 4 in the nation, but their coaching staff additions have been just as impactful. One of these new faces in Tempe is veteran defensive line coach Diron Reynolds, who arrived from Michigan State and has an impressive resume that resonates with his new boss and players alike.
For years now, Reynolds has been affiliated with the annual Von Miller Pass Rush Summit and has worked and learned from big NFL stalwarts such as Miller, Maxx Crosby, Micah Parsons, and Cam Jordan, among others. The nearly decade of this body of work is an aspect that undoubtedly makes him an authority figure in this department.
“I mean, he runs a pass rush clinic with two of the best pass rushers in the history of the NFL every year. For NFL football players,” ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “...you may have to go to the portal to get some more d-linemen. What do those guys want? Those guys that are over the BS of recruiting, the salesmanship, they want the facts. The fact is, professionals, go to this dude in the offseason to get better in the national football league. Why would you not come here and train with him for free?”
“I think it benefits me, but it benefits my players even more,” Reynolds claimed. “I get a chance to go to those summits and hear from some of the best of the best. We’re on that level; it’s those guys’ job. They can actually teach the coaches. Maxx Crosby and some of those guys who have been in the league for so long, they can talk it, and teach it.
“Cam Jordan, a guy that’s from the (Phoenix) area, it’s really good listening to the way he talks and teaches and what not too. I get the opportunity to listen to what they see and what their coaches teach them, record some of that, and bring it to some of my players so they can benefit from it as well.”
ASU’s first-year defensive line coach spent 12 years total in the NFL, working for the Indianapolis Colts early in his career and winning a Super Bowl during that tenure. Reynolds assumed different roles, bouncing back and forth between the league and college ranks before solidifying himself in the collegiate ranks for the last decade. More notably he coached at Stanford for seven years (2016-2022) where he was responsible for coaching the highest drafted defensive player in Stanford history, Soloman Thomas, drafted third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Dillingham indicated that having quality defensive lineman prospects to recruit from on the West Coast is a challenge. Therefore, having a coach of Reynolds’ caliber should be an easy pitch for when pursuing such players from other regions of the country. Louisville transfer Jeff Clark is one example. Granted, he was considering the Sun Devils last year and is close friends with his high school teammate and former ASU defensive lineman, BJ Green. Yet, even though he was quite familiar with the program, knowing the track record of his position coach in Tempe was another notable selling point for him.
“Coach Reynolds definitely has one great resume,” Clark said. “That’s one thing that stood out to me but ever since I’ve been here, coach Reynolds has pulled me to the side and has wanted to talk to me and get to know me better ever since I’ve been here. I really appreciate that out of him, and I just feel like he can make me a better player all around, and he can just sharpen up some things for me that can send me to the next level.”
With the coaching change at Michigan State that saw head coach Mel Tucker fired due to alleged sexual harassment violations, Reynolds explored his options and landed on ASU, a school he is naturally very familiar with from his Stanford days. The fact that his son attends Grand Canyon University carries the extra benefit of being in close proximity to his family. Yet, his first impression of Dillingham was another aspect that made ASU an appealing destination.
“It’s a breath of fresh air. I hadn’t been in this area here a whole lot,” Reynolds said. “Recruited down here a little bit. Beautiful area, always thought it was beautiful. Came here, played in this stadium quite a few times and always thought it was really intriguing. I always thought, on the outside, looking in being at Stanford, that this place was kind of a sleeping giant. Hopefully, we can get this thing turned in the right direction real fast.”
“Coach Dilly is really really energetic, love that about him. Brings a lot to the table. I know going against him a couple times and whatnot, what he brings to the offensive side. You know, high power, moving the ball up the field. I know on defense he gives us more chances to rush the passer and whatnot.”
Aside from Dillingham, Reynolds has spent a great deal of time in recent weeks working in conjunction with the Sun Devils’ defensive coordinator, Brian Ward. Reynolds and Ward have done their due diligence evaluating the roster that currently has over 20 defensive linemen and have also assessed their defensive familiarity with each other.
“We had a mutual friend; they’re a lot alike,” Reynolds described. “My defensive coordinator at Michigan State (Scottie Hazelton), they’re good friends. They kind of come from the same tree, and you know this profession is a little bit different. Our coaches kind of migrate together; we try to roll with the guys we trust. No doubt, it’s right up my alley, everything that we do. When I was at another school, I got the opportunity to learn this defense. It really meshed well with what we do, and just blending in.”
“It’s a great position to be in, when you got guys and got bodies, you got guys that are eager and ready to train, you always want that. Bringing new guys into the mix, trying to get them caught up on how I see things and how we teach, that’s going to be a great challenge, but it’s going to be fun.”
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